Faculty & Staff

Director: Lisa Shapiro
Studio owner since 1988. Previous teaching experience includes team-teaching the dance program three years at a public high school. Joined her childhood dance teacher to run the after school dance program at Ferndale High School in 1979; took over the program in 1981. Teaches: jazz, tap, ballet, and pointe

Asst. Studio Director, Director of Summer Camps, and Bookkeeper : Becky Hicks
Becky pursued a dance major at Western Michigan University . She has been teaching at Center Stage since 1989. Previous experience includes part owner of a dance studio in Keego Harbor , and teaching at Stage Door Dance Studio. Teaches: jazz, lyrical, and hip hop

FRONT OFFICE:

Lisa Shapiro, Becky Hicks, Renee Siracusa
Directs staff of six desk apprentices as well as daily bookkeeping, retail, and informational responsibilities.

SENIOR FACULTY:

Erin Bonser-Sattler - will student teach this fall on her way to completeing her BS in teaching with a dance major at Wayne State University.  Dancing at Center Stage since 1996.  Also teaches ballet and jazz during the primary season and is the assistant director of our Summer Dance Camps.

Samantha Drouillard – Graduate of Wayne State University with a major in health ed and a minor in dance. Living in Arizona working at a middle school and teaching dance, Samantha will remain on the faculty as a guest teacher. She teaches ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, modern, and preschool.

Erin Goldsworthy – Graduate of Eastern Michigan University with a degree in communications and economics; currently responsible for the maintenance and development of the studio website. She is also back at Eastern Michigan pursuing her post-bachelorate teaching certificate. Dancing at Center Stage since 1994. Teaches: jazz, ballet, pointe, and hip hop

Heather Rose – 5th grade teacher at Wooddale Elementary in Farmington Hills; graduate of Eastern Michigan University with a BS in elementary education with a focus in math and health education ; dancing at Center Stage since 1989. Teaches: ballet and pointe.

Carly Siracusa-Graduate of University of Michigan with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology; currently working in Consumer Marketing for an apparel company.  Her dance background includes training in NYC, danced competitively in NYC and the Tri-State area, part of a Performing Arts Institute in NYC all through high school where she was trained by Broadway professionals and a former Rockette, as well as performing in Disney World.  Taught and apprenticed for several years while in NYC and has won awards for her choreography.  Dancing at Center Stage since 2002.

Becky Slater - Will return to Oakland University in the fall as a senior where she will continue to work on her double major of dance and business.  Becky began dancing at Center Stage in 2000.  Her training includes ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, modern, lyrical, and hip hop.  Becky works as a counselor/instructor for Summer dance Camps.

Mary Flis – Graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in inter-disciplinary social sciences and community relations, Mary taught full time in the techniques of ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, and preschool. She also held the position of Special Projects Manager which included all special events programming and maintenance and development of our website. Mary currently resides in Chicago where she teaches dance. She will remain on the faculty as a guest teacher.

Katie Mues - Graduate of University of Michigan she is currently attending Emery University to pursue her graduate degree in epidemiology. Past president of the intra-mural tap group, Rhythm, on U of M’s campus, Katie will remain on faculty as a guest teacher.

Jessie Stadnika - Junior at Eastern Michigan University.  Pursuing a BS degree in Dance Management.  She is also a fundraising coordinator for the EMU Dance Program.  Dancing at Center Stage since 1994. Teaches: Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop and Pre-School.

JUNIOR FACULTY:

Jessie Thoe, Gretchen Seibel, and Alyssa Waineo.

All Junior Faculty are high school students who have come up through our Apprentice Program. Their own dance backgrounds are extensive in both experience and exposure to a wide variety of techniques. All Junior Faculty take weekly classes in ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, hip hop, and lyrical. Our Junior teachers participate in intra-studio workshops for choreography, class management and people skills. Regular evaluations help them to improve their teaching and communication skills.

APPRENTICE PROGRAM
Apprentices:

Kaitlin Gaule, Kelsey Longe, Danielle Lutz, Meredith Njus, Ashley Ring, Marissa Skinner, Gretchen Seibel, Jessie Thoe, Hannah Glodich, Soina Sandhu, and Alyssa Waineo.

Apprentice Program Mission Statement

• To teach senior level dancers the art and mechanics of operating a dance studio business including: dance instruction, choreography, communication skills, systems management, building management, and time management.

• To demonstrate the skills necessary to instruct, nurture and develop young dancers in their pursuit of technique, self-esteem and FUN!

 • To enhance the instructional flow by providing each teacher with an assistant. In time, the apprentice will assume a co-teacher role. The effect of ‘team-teaching’ will be that of a better student-to-teacher ratio and in the absence of the primary instructor the apprentice will perpetuate the class routine.

Minimum age of an apprentice is 14, or a freshman in high school. As our program has grown, the most typical entry age for an apprentice is 15, or a sophomore in high school.

Apprentices are invited by the director to participate in the program. Considerations for invitation include: skill level, commitment, attitude, level of participation in studio activities, leadership qualities, and dependability.

Apprentices are compensated by the hour. They are required to document their hours on a monthly basis for reimbursement. If they cannot come to work as scheduled, they must arrange for a substitute apprentice to work with the primary instructor.

It is strongly impressed upon the apprentices that they represent our studio, its philosophy, and its reputation, but most importantly, that the younger dancers are always watching them. They must role model in the most positive of ways at all times.

We have regular contact with most of our Alumni. Over the years, many of them have told us that the time they spent as an Apprentice proved to be invaluable to them as they moved forward in higher education and careers.

The young people in the Apprentice Program are a wonder. They are incredibly talented, heart-warmingly loyal, and full of the desire to achieve. It is our distinct pleasure to have the chance to help them reach their greatest potential.